Owning a car in the Washington D.C. area is expensive when you consider the cost of loan or lease payments, insurance premiums, fuel and parking. But it’s hard to give up the freedoms of having a car because mass transit has its limits. Enterprise CarShare is a unique car-sharing program in our community that allows you to reserve a car from an hour to a day to a week for one, all-inclusive price. This means all fuel, damage/liability protection and around-the-clock member service is covered under one price. Enterprise CarShare offers a wide selection of vehicles – from pickup trucks to hybrids—so whatever your needs, they’ll have the right car for you, 24/7. When you need a car, making a reservation is easy and can be done from your computer or mobile phone.

Enterprise reached out to me a few weeks ago and offered me an opportunity to test out CarShare for a day of holiday shopping. My destination from Arlington Virginia? The Mosaic District in Fairfax. It was a great chance for me to hit the highway and really enjoy myself.

Enterprise Car Share is available to anyone 18 years or older with a valid driver’s license. Vehicles can be reserved by the hour, the day, or even overnight for one, all-inclusive rate, and are parked conveniently on campus.

Click the “Join Now” button on the link below to become a member today and Enterprise CarShare will waive your $40 Annual Membership and Application fee. And rates per hour begin at only $5 and only $76/day.

Activities during the Open House include a free trial class, an ice cream social, a webinar, and more. You can also learn about FunImmersion®, their high-energy method of instruction, in which students learn a foreign language through games, art projects, music and more. There are many locations throughout the VA/DC/MD area.

Many of you have sons that will be leaving the nest soon to begin college. And I’ve got some exciting news to share to help to simplify your life and make it easy to cross off an item from your Back To School To-Do List.

Gillette offers a blade refill subscription service that is a practical, hassle-free option that delivers Gillette’s blades directly to your son’s door. This service provides busy moms like us one less thing to think about, making it easy for college aged sons to look handsome and clean cut or their facial hair perfectly groomed.

Gillette’s blades are very affordable too—only about $1 a week for most guys.

Now if this is your son’s first year shaving, here are a few tips:

Select the proper razor: The Gillette Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall Technology is the perfect razor for beginners as well as experienced shavers. It is the first razor of its kind, with a new handle that adjusts and pivots to respond to the contours of a man’s face for fewer missed hairs. Using existing Fusion ProGlide cartridges, the new handle lets the cartridge move in three dimensions for maximum contact. The result is #ShavingRebuilt for an entirely new shave experience.

Use a moisturizing shaving cream to protect your sensitive skin

Shave with the grain of the hair

Rinse your razor often while shaving

Use an aftershave suitable for your skin type to repair and protect your skin

Gillette’s blade refill subscription is the perfect back to school gift for your son, your brother, your husband, your father and every man in your life.

{Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Gillette via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Gillette or MomTrends}

Starting today, Uber is making life easier for parents in the DC metro area with the launch of uberFAMILY, their new on-demand car seat option. With the touch of a button and a $10 surcharge, parents can easily request a ride that’s equipped with a car seat.

To develop uberFAMILY, Uber DC teamed up with The Car Seat Lady’s Dr. Alisa Baer, who trained the service’s highest-rated partner drivers on how to safely secure the seats — which were all manufactured specifically for Uber by IMMI.

In celebration of the launch, Uber DC is kicking things off with a surcharge-free week brought to you by Care.com, the world’s largest online destination for finding and managing family care.

To learn more about UberFAMILY, including how to request UberFAMILY on your Uber app and safety details, head to: http://bit.ly/1vXbOjz

uberFAMILY: For parents on the go

Getting around with your child just got easier with Uber’s new on-demand car seat option.

1) Use promo code ClarendonMoms25 for $25 off your first Uber ride!

2) Download the App and enter the code.

3) Request uberFAMILY and be connected to a highly rated driver with a car seat.

WHAT IS UBER? Uber is an app that connects you with a driver at the tap of a button. Request a ride and have a driver curbside in minutes. There’s no need to carry cash. When you reach your destination, your fare is automatically billed to your card on file, no need to tip. Good for one ride, up to $25, new riders only. Expires 11/1/14. Excludes uberTAXI.

Already have Uber? Simply toggle to your vehicle option at the very bottom of the screen (uberFAMILY is available on both uberX and UberBLACK), and tap the ‘FAMILY’ button above the slider.

My parents have flipped houses for years. They’re what you call “Do-it-yourselfers”. When my husband and I purchased our latest home, my parents told me about this amazing store called Floor and Decor. They said it was a “remodeler’s dream store” offering family friendly environment, easy to navigate aisles, a knowledgable staff, had very low prices and focused on hard surface flooring options. Best of all, they were able to find the most beautiful tile at a huge discount. That was great for them since the store they were talking about was close to them in Ohio.

I’m happy to announce that Floor & Decor is currently open and will be hosting a Grand Opening this Saturday, July 12th in Woodbridge, Virginia. The festivities will feature a variety of family-friendly activities like face-painting, complimentary icy treats and a Nascar Race Car Simulator. Also starting at noon that day, the first 200 people to register will have a chance to play a dice game that could result in one lucky player leaving with $500,000, additional prizes will also be given out throughout the day.

Follow them on Facebook to get Tuesday Tips, Thursday Trends, Love or Leave it polls or Sustainable Sunday ideas. You can also follow them on Twitter @FloorandDecor.

Floor & Decor is a fantastic place for DIYers. They have an incredibly large selection, the best prices in town because of their relationships with distributors and have an in-house design team to which customers have access.

{Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I was compensated by Floor & Decor to help spread the word about its new Potomac Mills location including a true story of my own.}

Summer is the season for fun in the sun – we all know to wear sunscreen and hats to protect our skin, but what about our eyes? Protecting eyes from UV radiation is essential to life long healthy vision. Because ultraviolet radiation from the sun can cause age-related eye problems like cataracts and macular degeneration, protecting your children’s eyes is vital to their long-term eye health (and yours too!). The more exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays during your lifetime, the more at risk you are to develop sight-threatening conditions.Children tend to spend lots of time outdoors in the summer sun. Because of that, some experts say nearly half of a person’s lifetime exposure to UV radiation can take place by age 18. Fortunately kid’s exposure to UV can be limited with comfortable and durable sunglasses – and Mom’s exposure can be limited with a pair of stylish summer shades. At eye2eye Optometry Corner in Del Ray Alexandria – we offer a wide selection of the best brands for kids and adults. Here are Dr. Adamopoulos’s six tips for summer sun protection:

For kids, be sure the lenses are impact resistant & the frames made of a durable material.

Pick a large, close-fitting frame. These are best to help protect children’s eyes during play.

The most important time of day to make sure you wearing sunglasses is between 10am-2pm, when the suns rays are the strongest.

Beware of cheap sunglasses. They can pose safety hazards when made of cheap materials and low quality paints. Always purchase high quality acetate frames.

Know the percentage of UVA & UVB rays being block by the sun – be wary of the phrase “blocks UV rays”. You want a lens that blocks out 100% of UVA & UVB rays.

Wear sunscreen around the eye area to protect your eyelids from burning.

Schedule a an eye exam for you or your little one at eye2eye this summer, they’ll establish your existing vision health as well as get you and your little one fitted for new sunglasses.

About Dr. Adamopoulos:
Dr. Adamopoulos, OD owns eye2eye Optometry Corner in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria. Dr. A is a wife and mother and knows first hand the sometimes crazy balancing act of raising little ones and being a full time business owner. Dr. A has been practicing optometry since 1998 and opened eye2eye Optometry Corner in 2008. She’s an avid supporter of small business and loves her community of Northern Virginia.

“Meet Us At the Barre, We Will Be Waiting For You”. Xtend Barre is Pilates and Dance…Amplified!

Featured in FITNESS, SHAPE and SELF magazines, Xtend Barre is a high-energy total body workout that combines serious sculpting exercises done at the ballet barre with lively music and cardio where clients can have fun while achieving very serious results in under an hour. Created by former dancer/choreographer and Pilates expert Andrea Rogers, Xtend Barre workout doesn’t stop at pirouettes. Its’a dynamic, no-holds barre (get it?), low-impact/high performance workout packed with isometric exercises that make your guns, buns, abs – and everything else – scream with delight. Exercises at a professional ballet barre with precise concentrated movements and light weight training target small muscle groups while wide reaching motion is designed to lengthen your physique. An array of props like resistance balls, weights, stretch bands and more also keep you on your toes. The result? A strong, sculpted, coveted “dancer-like body” without the unwanted bulk, and increased stamina and flexibility.

I had the most amazing opportunity to attend the fun (yet challenging) sneak preview of Xtend Barre Studio earlier this week where I met the beautifully sculpted mother of two, my new fitness icon Andrea Rogers and studio owner Natalie Strahorn, who is also beautifully sculpted and inspiring. The Barre workout is phenomenal! I loved everything about it: the stretching, the sculpting, the breathing, the weights, the band, the barre… I especially enjoyed how I felt hours following the workout. I literally glowed and could feel my body improving. It was so much fun.

Andrea Rogers is full of exhilarating high energy motivating everyone to do their best. The studio itself is brand new, bright, fresh, clean and minimalistic zen. Studio owner Natalie Strahorn discovered Barre while working in Fashion in New York City and decided to bring it to Old Town. I’m so happy she did! The class left me so invigorated I felt like picking up Andrea Rogers after the class. I was pumped up and feeling great! Xtend Barre is the perfect place to get in shape for the summer!

What makes them even more unique is that they offer more than just barre class! Beginning next month, they will be introducing Barrecamp, a hybrid of barre class with added cardio sequences and HIIT (high intensity interval training), which helps to get your heart rate up for extra calorie burning. For all the fabulous mamas out there, they also will be offering Babies on Board, where moms can wear their babies in their carrier while working out at the barre. Share the excitement!

Whether mom wants to sleep in, sneak off and read stacks of magazines, have drinks with the gals, or binge watch Scandal, Renaissance Dupont Circle Hotel is giving her the freedom to do as she pleases for Mother’s Day. The Leave Mom in Peace Package lets dad take the kids on a fun overnight stay in DC so mom can truly relax. See the city and even engage in a day of espionage at the Spy Museum (tickets included in package) while you’re at it! Dad can even enjoy a little cozy retreat with room service, while the kids take full advantage of the complimentary Wi-Fi for all their devices. Sleep in (if the kids let you), then check out late the next day, just in time to surprise mom with beautiful bouquet compliments of Renaissance Dupont Circle.

Rates include valet parking, breakfast at M Brasserie for 1 adult and up to 3 children, up to 4 tickets to the spy museum, complimentary Wi-Fi, 3pmnext day check out and flowers upon departure. With a package like this, dad may just want to stay an extra night.

Rates are per room, per night based on availability and exclude tax and gratuities. Offer does not apply to groups of 10 or more, other terms and conditions apply. For more information or reservations, please call (888)-686-5214 or visit www.renaissancedupontcircle.com.Refer to promotional code: P51

Renaissance Washington DC, Dupont Circle Hotel is a distinctive hotel located in south of end of Washington, DC’s Dupont Circle neighborhood at 1143 New Hampshire Avenue and M Street, NW. Situated blocks from Dupont Circle’s restaurants and energetic nightlife and close to historic Georgetown, the hotel is minutes from the metro and legendary city sites. The stylish hotel flaunts a cosmopolitan lobby bar featuring a rotating exhibit of contemporary art from local arts organizations, conveying class and provoking guests’ sense of discovery, while 10,800 square feet of event space appeals to business travelers with state-of-the-art meeting facilities. Discover a city favorite, the Renaissance Washington, DC Dupont Circle Hotel. For more information or to make a reservation, call (888)-686-5214, or visit www.renaissancedupontcircle.com

About Renaissance Hotels

Renaissance Hotels encourages guests to Live Life to DiscoverSM at more than 155 hotels in 35 countries around the world. Expecting to open at least one hotel per month this year, the brand should reach nearly near 170 hotels in 40 countries by the end of 2014. Each hotel is unique and every stay offers an opportunity to explore local discoveries exclusive to the destination. At every hotel, Renaissance Navigators are local experts ready to assist guests in discovering local flavors and activities. Signature live entertainment events are designed to showcase emerging talent in music, the arts, culinary and more to inspire discovery. R.E.N. Meetings offers groups an experience beyond a traditional meeting rooted in creative sensory meeting design, RLife LIVE networking events and custom curated local Navigator excursions. At Renaissance Hotels, we work to ensure that every trip is transformed into an eye-opening, unforgettable journey. You spend your life working; you should discover the world as you go. To discover more visit www.renhotels.com

The first ever sideshow extravaganza Side Yards at The Yards, located on the Anacostia Riverfront. The day of amusement and wonder invites locals to let their freak flag fly while taking in the sights and sounds of the DC area’s top circus performers. Three stages of entertainment will showcase the terrifying talents of contortionists, magicians, jugglers, fire breathers, sword swallowers and more. The event will also feature live concerts throughout the evening with music by Drop Electric, Shark Week, and U.S. Royalty. Delicious food on the boardwalk, a photo booth, body painter, fortuneteller, and beer garden by Bluejacket will round out the evening’s carnival delights.

I’m a passionate mom about town. My blog is dedicated to helping others save time while discovering new and exciting things. I share tips on everything ranging from style & fashion to the best preschools to the best places to travel with your family to the hottest fitness craze to the trendiest new restaurants for date night to the coolest events in the DC area and more. I have enormous passion for connecting people and sharing my knowledge with others. Thank-you for visiting! Pleasure to meet you!